Chapter 1285

Old Ancestor Xue Hu tells Fang Yuan to forget any chance of escaping while the sides fight, since today he has only one target. Nothing but killing the man who foiled his Fortune Rivalling Heaven refinement will appease him. Fang Yuan stays expressionless, unmoved by threats or promises alike, and keeps walking forward. ^{ch. 1285}

As time passes, Mao Li Qiu’s growl softens and its expression turns incredulous, and Old Ancestor Xue Hu, Bi Chen Tian and Wei Ling Yang sense the same change. The other Gu Immortals stir, calling it a Gu worm’s aura that is not complete. Yu Yi Ye Zi guesses the truth: Fang Yuan is refining Gu, something thought impossible inside Reverse Flow River without a rank nine Immortal Gu, and Fang Yuan’s own wisdom Gu sits useless inside Lang Ya blessed land. Fang Yuan is shocked to feel the change himself: he really is refining Gu, the aura inside him strengthening with every step, though he does not understand why. He recognizes this as a turning point and keeps advancing. ^{ch. 1285}

The Gu Immortals notice that Fang Yuan alone stays expressionless through an ordeal that leaves everyone else in pain, madness, or tears, and they wonder how this Liu Guan Yi can seem to persevere forever. Nobody can answer. ^{ch. 1285}

The aura peaks, and Fang Yuan begins to shine in pure white light. Mao Li Qiu, staring in disbelief, finally admits there is no point hiding it any longer: an Immortal Gu named Perseverance is forming inside Fang Yuan’s body. Bi Chen Tian confirms the Gu named in The Legends of Ren Zu is real, and Wei Ling Yang adds that a former Heavenly Court leader, Genesis Lotus Immortal Venerable, once owned it. Bi Chen Tian adds that Genesis Lotus never said how the Gu was refined, and Mao Li Qiu answers that the Immortal Venerable stayed silent about a shame in his life. Mao Li Qiu explains: Genesis Lotus once charged into Reverse Flow River, became trapped, and only after painstakingly reaching its end refined Perseverance Immortal Gu inside himself, becoming the river’s first Lord. Even Old Ancestor Xue Hu is shocked by the secret. Every gaze turns to Fang Yuan, and Mao Li Qiu says that at this rate he will become the second Reverse Flow River Lord. ^{ch. 1285}

As he walks, Fang Yuan’s memory runs back across five hundred years. He was once a boy on Qing Mao Mountain, resolving to give up his old life for the chance at eternal life. On the battle stage he knew he had been set up, and he walked away filled with determination while Gu Yue Fang Zheng gloated over their differing aptitude. He mourned at the grave of Gu Master Big Beard, who had died, resolving never to forgo his own dreams for age’s sake. Childhood, the road out of the village, rebirth through Spring Autumn Cicada, and every blessed land since: he traces the whole road that brought him here. ^{ch. 1285}

Bi Chen Tian frowns at the figure in the river and wonders to himself what sort of willpower this is. Old Ancestor Xue Hu, sobered, no longer looks down on this rank seven Gu Immortal, and calls him the new Reverse Flow River Lord after Genesis Lotus three hundred thousand years before. Mao Li Qiu claws deep marks into the ground, unable to do anything else, while Bai Ning Bing and Hei Lou Lan watch visibly moved. Zhao Lian Yun, awake again, looks at Ma Hong Yun’s corpse still held in Fang Yuan’s arm and weeps, asking in her heart how hard one person’s perseverance truly is. Every watching immortal could answer, some persevered for duty, others for hatred or love. Fang Yuan gives his own answer only by moving forward, expressionless and relentless, until a dazzling light erupts and Perseverance Immortal Gu is refined successfully. ^{ch. 1285}